Perform or perish: Alam to seniors

Livid with Pakistan's shambolic batting performance in the opening Test against Australia, coach Intikhab Alam has warned the team's senior players to either perform or perish.

The warning from the coach came during a team meeting held to carry out a post-mortem of the 170-run first Test defeat at the MCG.

Alam made it clear that he was not satisfied with the performance of some players especially the seniors, who needed to stand up and take more responsibility.

According to local media reports, Alam, a former Test captain, made it clear that if some of the players didn't improve, he would be left with no choice but to look at other options.

"Intikhab and captain, Muhammad Yousuf had a long meeting with the players and the coach made it clear that he was not satisfied with the efforts of some senior players and wanted them to do more," a report said.

"The coach said he was disappointed that some players despite being advised repeatedly were committing the same mistakes again and again and were not seriously working on their own game," another report said.

Pakistan were crushed by 170 runs in the first Test in Melbourne and go into the second Test from Sunday at Sydney with Australia sensing another series win as the Pakistanis have crossed the 350 mark only twice in their last 14 innings.